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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24153940">The Soul World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/meganwritesbooks/pseuds/meganwritesbooks'>meganwritesbooks</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Romance, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Humor, Multi, Platonic Relationships, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Romance, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:48:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24153940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/meganwritesbooks/pseuds/meganwritesbooks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Have you ever wondered what occurred in the Soul Stone among the characters that were dusted by Thanos? With the mystical powers of the Soul Stone, a separate reality called the Soul World was created. Here, various characters meet for the first time and unlikely friendships and relationships form. So what was life like for these beloved characters who were snapped from existence for five years?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Darcy Lewis &amp; Wanda Maximoff, Gamora/Peter Quill, James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Peter Parker &amp; Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis, Jane Foster/T’Challa (Marvel), Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Peter Parker &amp; Shuri, Peter Parker &amp; Stephen Strange, Sharon Carter/Sam Wilson, Wanda Maximoff/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone! I've been wanting to write this story for months and now I finally have the courage to work on it. It's been years since I've written fanfiction so I'm really excited to dip my toes back into this wondrous world. Other than the main storyline, the majority of this story will be an exploration of different relationships among characters we haven't really seen interact in the films. Some of these relationships will be platonic while others may turn romantic. Who knows what will happen? I'm kind of a hoe for non-canon ships so this will interesting to write. </p><p>Now, without further ado, onto the story!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stephen Strange sensed something was terribly wrong mere moments before it happened.</p><p>He knew this from the abrupt shift in the timeline that made him stagger and fall to the ground. There was a noticeable change in the atmosphere as the temperature dropped and the red sky rumbled, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. His body grew cold all over and an indescribable weight settled heavily in his gut.</p><p>Before he could manage to speak, the alien woman named Mantis beat him to it.</p><p>“Something’s happening,” she said, fear evident on her face.</p><p>Then, almost as soon as she finished her sentence, Stephen watched in horror as Mantis's body dissolved in a flutter of ash. One second she was there, the next completely gone.</p><p>
  <em> Oh, God. </em>
</p><p>The same thing happened to Drax a moment later. He barely had time to mutter, “Quill?” before his body also disintegrated.</p><p>Peter Quill’s terror-filled eyes darted around wildly, seeking the gaze of Tony Stark, who had gone very pale.</p><p>“Steady, Quill,” said Tony, struggling to his feet. </p><p>“Oh, man,” Quill whispered. The next instant, the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy was gone.</p><p>Stephen watched as Tony slowly turned, his eyes downcast. As if he knew he was about to turn to ash next. But Stephen knew this wasn't the case.</p><p>He also knew he himself didn't have much time left. Less than a minute, in fact. But before his physical body would soon be reduced to ash and his soul traveled to whatever place awaited him, he had to make sure Tony understood why he had handed over the Time Stone to Thanos. </p><p>And yet Stephen couldn't bring himself to shake his immense guilt, no matter how much he tried to convince himself it was the right thing to do.</p><p>“Tony,” said Stephen, swallowing hard when Tony’s accusatory gaze met his. Several emotions flashed across Stark’s face in that brief moment. Panic. Confusion. Betrayal. Nothing Stephen said could possibly put Tony’s mind at ease. The only thing he could manage to say was, “There was no other way.”</p><p>Suddenly, Stephen’s breath hitched in his throat as a horrible chill washed over his body. The air was stolen from his lungs as he inhaled sharply, knowing exactly what was happening. He felt each and every cell inside him begin to deteriorate, his body vanishing from the inside out until he could no longer feel anything. </p><p>The last thing Stephen heard before he disappeared completely was the faraway echo of Peter Parker’s voice say, “Mr. Stark?”</p><p>Then Stephen’s entire world briefly went black before it exploded with blinding orange light, the same color of the Soul Stone. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Inside the Soul Stone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our cast of characters wake up in a strange world bathed in an eerie orange glow and thick mist, the ground covered in mysterious shallow water that somehow doesn't feel like water. The horizon is flat and seemingly void of life. Or is it?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Wanda.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wanda felt Vision grab her arm and turned around. He was kneeling on the ground, his expression unreadable when he says, “It’s time.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No,” she hissed, wrenching her arm from his grasp. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“They can’t stop him, Wanda, but we can! Look at me.” Wanda reluctantly faced Vision again as he continued, “You have the power to destroy the stone.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wanda knew what Vision was implying and refused to listen. “Don’t.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You must do it. Wanda, please.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wanda let Vision take her hand and place it upon his cheek. She watched his unwavering expression with disbelief. How could he ask her to do this? To destroy the Mind Stone, which in turn would destroy him? “We are...out of time,” Vision said. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wanda shook her head. She absolutely couldn't fathom doing this. “I can’t,” she whispered, her bottom lip trembling.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes, you can,” Vision whispered just as softly, removing her hand from his face and positioning it in front of him. “You can. If he gets the stone, half the universe dies.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wanda backed away from him, tears blurring her vision, processing what she must do. She knew Vision was right. She had known it since before they arrived in Wakanda, but didn’t allow herself to believe it. Not until now. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s not fair,” Vision continued, trying to reassure her. “It shouldn’t be you, but it is. It’s alright. You could never hurt me.” They maintained eye contact, wordlessly exchanging silent apologies and vows of love between each other as Vision added, “I just feel you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Somehow, this gave Wanda enough courage to channel scarlet energy into her palms, hesitating before extending her arm toward Vision, her hex hitting the Mind Stone with resistance. She gradually increased her power, beginning to cry as she watched her lover grimace in pain. Meanwhile her fellow Avengers were taking turns going at Thanos, attempting to keep him away from Vision, each of them defeated within seconds of encountering the mad Titan. Wanda tried to ignore their cries of pain and the sounds of them hitting the ground, focusing on the task at hand. She risked a glance behind her just as Natasha was buried underneath pillars of rock and Thanos escaped Groot’s trap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When Thanos eventually knocked Steve unconscious to the ground and reached her, Wanda used her other hand to hold him back, her powers clashing violently with that of the Infinity Gauntlet. She wasn't strong enough to take on the powerful Titan alone. Vision mouthed Wanda’s name, urging her with his eyes to work faster. Thanos towered just behind her. Wanda sobbed as she used all the power she possessed within her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Through her haze of tears, she saw Vision’s mouth form the words, “Wanda, I love you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tiny cracks splintered along Vision’s forehead, and at last the Mind Stone shattered. The force of the blast sent shockwaves throughout the Wakandan wilderness. Wanda flew backwards and hit the ground with a sickening thud.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She didn't get a chance to process what happened until she felt a large hand touch her head. Thanos. She lacked the energy to stand and kill him for what he had forced her to do.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then, the unthinkable happened.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanos used the Time Stone and reversed what happened only seconds earlier. The Mind Stone reformed and Vision was alive again right before Wanda’s eyes. When she realized what Thanos intended to do, it was too late.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <em>“No!” Wanda screamed, attempting to get up but was thwarted once again when Thanos backhanded her and sent her spiraling into a tree.</em>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <em>Wanda’s sight blurred and her ears rang. She could only watch helplessly as Thanos ripped the Mind Stone from Vision’s head before he proceeded to toss his body to the ground like a ragdoll. Wanda had witnessed Vision’s death not once, but twice. </em>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The last thing she remembered was cradling Vision’s lifeless body in her arms before an icy feeling passed over her, and she almost sighed with relief as her body turned to ash and flaked away into nothingness.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Wanda’s eyes fluttered briefly, but she couldn't bring herself to open them fully. Though she could still hear snippets of a conversation going on around her. She recognized some familiar voices. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanda?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sam Wilson</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Wanda, can you hear me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next voice sounded like it belonged to a kid. “Have you tried CPR? Mouth to mouth?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s still breathing, Peter,” said Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what if she’s dying?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’re already dead,” Bucky Barnes grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buck, don’t say that in front of the kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid Sergeant Barnes may be right,” said a rich, heavily-accented voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctor Strange, do you know if we’re dead?” the kid asked. “This kind of seems like your area of expertise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause before a deep voice replied, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dead</span>
  </em>
  <span> wouldn’t be the exact word I would use.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam chuckled dryly. “Well, that’s vague. Who the hell are you supposed to be? A professor at Hogwarts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think she is about to wake up,” said an airy feminine voice, which was closest to Wanda. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanda felt delicate, gentle hands touch her temples before a second later she was forcibly yanked out semi-consciousness. Her eyes flew open and she gasped in shock, immediately shielding her vision from the intensity of the bright orange sky with her hand. When her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she allowed herself to sit up slowly to take in the circle of people surrounding her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting beside Wanda was a strange woman with ivory skin and a pair of antennae protruding from her head, although this wasn't really shocking. Wanda had seen plenty of stranger things in her lifetime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind the woman was the familiar faces of Sam and Bucky, both of them sporting relieved smiles to see her awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other face she recognized was King T’Challa of Wakanda, otherwise known as the Black Panther. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took a moment for Wanda to realize the young man standing next to the king was the same kid who had fought on Tony Stark’s team of heroes at the airport in Germany several years ago. Even though the boy named Peter was now unmasked, Wanda recognized the red and blue suit he wore with the spider emblem.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other than the alien woman, the other stranger Wanda did not recognize was a man sitting criss-crossed away from the group, his closed eyes and blank expression indicating he was meditating. He appeared out of place with his odd clothing and red cloak. The man had to be the one Peter called Doctor Strange, which was quite a fitting name. As if he knew he was being watched, Strange opened his eyes and studied Wanda with profound curiosity, his sharp gaze making her quickly glance away from his scrutiny. For all she knew, the man was reading her mind like a book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doctor Strange was clearly a mystic type. As a fellow magic user, Wanda could sense his power. And he certainly was no amateur. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back, Maximoff,” Sam greeted her, patting her knee. “I would tell you where we are but well...we’re still trying to figure that part out. All I know is we’re definitely not in Wakanda anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanda took this opportunity to stand and survey their surroundings. At first, she didn't know what to make of everything. The landscape was unsettling and desolate, the horizon completely flat. Everything was bathed in an eerie orange glow and thick mist, the sky blank except for a giant red sun. The sun offered no warmth, nor was the air around them cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Wanda planted her foot down on the ground, that’s when she noticed the water. The entire ground was covered in a shallow pool of ankle-deep water and stretched for however long the terrain reached. But that wasn’t the strangest part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the fact that the water didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> like water. When Wanda crouched down and dipped her hand in it, her skin was completely dry when she retracted it. So were her clothes and hair, even though she had just been lying unconscious on the wet ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we don’t understand the water either,” Bucky said, slapping his boot down in the water. While it made a splash and physically acted like normal water, Bucky’s foot remained unaffected by it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This place just gets freakier and freakier,” Peter added, casting wary glances in every direction, as if he were sensing danger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Freaky was a colossal understatement. Where in the universe were they? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam started to pace around the group, clearly thinking of potential explanations to their current situation. “Okay, what’s the last thing everyone remembers before we woke up….” He gestured vaguely around them. "<em>here?"</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I was on some weird red planet with Mr. Stark, Doctor Strange, that Quill guy, the alien wrestler-looking dude, Mantis, and the scary blue lady,” Peter explained, his expressions and hand gestures very animated as he told his side of the story. “We came up with a plan to take down Thanos and get the gauntlet away from him, but that didn’t work out so well. He kinda kicked our asses.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky snorted derisively. “Us too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The rest of us were in Wakanda,” T’Challa replied, his brows furrowing. “We also fought Thanos and lost.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanos. The reason Vision was dead.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything came flooding back to Wanda so abruptly that she gasped and let out a choked sob, earning startled looks from her companions. Mantis cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder, and in seconds the alien woman’s own tears mirrored Wanda’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She mourns,” Mantis whispered, and Wanda could almost feel the other woman's concern. “She feels immense guilt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I killed Vision,” Wanda muttered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. Her fists were clenched so hard that they glowed scarlet. She half expected her powers not to work here. “Then I watched Thanos kill him again right in front of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam gave her a sympathetic look and tried to comfort her. “Wanda, you know we had to destroy that stone…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how did that turn out?” Wanda snapped, stepping so close to Sam that he backed away. She jammed her finger into his hard chest. “Even though I destroyed the stone, Thanos </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> managed to take it. Vision died </span>
  <em>
    <span>twice</span>
  </em>
  <span> for nothing. And I have to live with the knowledge that I was one of the two people that killed him. That I wasn’t strong enough to stop Thanos and save him!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t blame yourself for what happened,” Bucky said, stepping in between Wanda and Sam. “Not for what happened to Vision, and definitely not for failing to stop that big purple bastard. If you don’t remember, </span>
  <em>
    <span>all of us</span>
  </em>
  <span> tried to take him down. We failed together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanda whirled on Bucky, her eyes glowing red. But the soldier didn’t back down. “Don’t try and justify what happened, Barnes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maximoff, let’s calm down, alright?” Sam told her gently, attempting to pull her away from Bucky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanda’s rage and guilt culminated to their boiling point and she couldn’t control herself when she thrust her arm out, unleashing a hex that slammed Sam onto the ground. T’Challa rushed to help him up as Bucky tried to block Wanda, his eyes pleading for her to stop. Doctor Strange stood from his seated position and was seemingly ready to step in if he was needed, the heated situation having piqued his interest. Peter and Mantis kept their distance from the scene, evidently fearful of Wanda. This only made her instability worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The memory of the events in Wakanda were too much to bear as Wanda succumbed to the weight of her loss, falling to her knees with an anguished sob. Her powers raged beneath her skin like a storm, threatening to explode out of her. She hadn't experienced such grief since losing Pietro, when that agony had manifested in a tidal wave of power so strong that it finished off Ultron’s army and even Ultron himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanda was a danger to herself and others when she lost control of her emotions, but in that moment she did not care. She would tear multiple worlds apart if she had to, just so she wouldn’t have to feel this kind of pain anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She barely registered the voices of alarm from the others. Her hands were covering her ears and she screamed at the noises in her head to stop. Bucky and T’Challa tried to reach for her but a wall of scarlet magic knocked them away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Wanda!</span>
  </em>
  <span><em>”</em> Sam yelled over the roaring in Wanda’s ears. “Wanda, STOP!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think she’s gonna explode!” Peter cried. “What do we do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we do not subdue her, Ms. Maximoff could hurt herself!” said T’Challa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She can’t hurt herself physically, but the same thing can’t be said about her mind,” Doctor Strange explained. Wanda’s eyes were squeezed shut and she shook uncontrollably as Strange attempted several spells to counter her angry hexes. Either his powers were limited in this world or Wanda was too powerful for him; she couldn't tell what was reality or not at this point. “Mantis! We need you to put Ms. Maximoff to sleep!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not think I can reach her!” Mantis replied. “She is very strong and angry!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So was Thanos!” Strange countered. “And you were able to incapacitate him!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause before Mantis asked, “Are you sure? Putting her to sleep in her current state could permanently damage her mind!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“JUST DO IT!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too distraught and overcome by her own power, Wanda did not anticipate Mantis tackling her from behind and grabbing the sides of her head, which had an instantaneous effect. Immediately, the roar in Wanda's ears went silent and she felt her eyelids droop. Too weak to fight back, she allowed two unknown sets of hands guide her to the ground until she was lying back down in the water again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sleep,” whispered Mantis, lightly touching Wanda’s forehead with her finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so Wanda slept, willingly.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Sam released a low whistle of relief when Wanda was finally unconscious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was also pretty sure he fractured his tailbone when his dear friend threw him onto the ground in the midst of her episode. Sam knew Wanda had gone through a lot in recent years and was pretty fragile mentally. So it didn’t come as a surprise that what she had to do to Vision, watching him die twice, was enough to finally break her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It looked like they were down one teammate for the time being.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Make sure she stays asleep for a while,” Sam told Mantis, who had a very useful ability. “Give her some time to recover.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mantis nodded, lifting Wanda’s head and placing it on her lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that was terrifying,” Peter said softly, as if he was scared to wake Wanda. He stood between Sam and Bucky, looking almost comical in size compared to them. Sam forgot how young the super-powered kid really was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll be okay,” Bucky reassured Peter, nodding towards Wanda. “I don’t know about the wizard guy, but she’s probably the strongest one here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master of the Mystic Arts here,” the wizard guy, apparently named Doctor Strange, muttered under his breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>T’Challa cleared his throat, changing the subject to a more serious topic. “While we know what happened </span>
  <em>
    <span>before</span>
  </em>
  <span> we arrived here, we still do not know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> we are here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or where the hell </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span> is,” Sam added. He had been itching to know where they were after being in the Wakandan wilderness one moment and waking up in this orange hellscape the next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With all due respect, your Highness, the answer to your question is obvious,” Strange said, his arrogance annoying Sam. “Thanos used the stones to wipe out half the universe. We just so happen to be among the unfortunate ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This information disturbed everyone in the group. Sam didn’t want to believe it, even though he couldn’t forget the cold rush that had struck his body just before he felt himself crumble and float away into the Wakandan wilderness. But if Thanos really won, that meant they were all…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we’re dead,” Peter clarified, having gone pale at the notion. Sam nearly reached for the kid to help him sit down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strange sighed. “Again,</span>
  <em>
    <span> dead</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t the word I would use. More like we’ve been wiped from existence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like we’re dead, Abracadabra,” said Sam, ignoring the way the sorcerer rolled his eyes at the nickname. “And how do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> know Thanos used the stones when you weren’t even on the same planet as him when it happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strange’s eyes narrowed at Sam. “You don’t know what I’m capable of, Mr. Wilson.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s right, Sam,” Bucky said, placing a hand on Sam’s shoulder to draw his attention away from Strange. “I saw it happen. Thanos snapped his fingers and the next thing I knew, my body was breaking apart like sand and then I woke up here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam swallowed the hard knot forming in his throat, processing Bucky’s all too-familiar experience. Calmly, he turned back to Strange and asked, “Do you have any idea where we are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My guess is we’re either in a separate reality created by the stones,” Strange explained, using his hands to create orange hexagonal figures in the air to demonstrate his points. “Or we’re stuck in some kind of limbo between life and death, a realm for those not living nor dead. Wherever Thanos has placed us, it’s beyond my area of power and probably Miss Maximoff’s as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>T’Challa raised an eyebrow. “No escape?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strange nodded solemnly. “No escape.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, hear me out,” Peter chimed in, his eyes twinkling with an idea. “You guys see the sky, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can we not?” Bucky squinted up at the bright orange sky and bloody red sun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter ignored Bucky’s sly comment and continued, “It’s orange right? I remember when we were fighting Thanos, that one of the stones in his gauntlet was orange.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanos had to kill Gamora to get it,” Mantis added softly, her tone and expression melancholy. The alien woman had been so quiet, making sure Wanda stayed asleep, that Sam briefly forgot she was there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Peter confirmed Mantis’s statement. “But the orange stone. Which one was it again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Soul Stone,” Strange replied. “From what Thanos did to his daughter, we’ve learned that a sacrifice of the one you love most must be made in order to obtain it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, right,” Peter said, brushing off the morbid details. “Well what if—I know it probably sounds dumb—but what if wherever we are has something to do with the Soul Stone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam couldn’t help but be impressed by the teen’s reasoning. He exchanged a smirk with Bucky, who was obviously thinking the same thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strange’s posture suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening as if he were just struck by a realization. He held up a single finger, silently asking everyone to be quiet so he can think.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Strange, what is it?” T’Challa questioned the sorcerer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Parker, you may be onto something,” said Strange, making Peter perk up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am?” the excitable boy replied, his voice raising an octave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Partly. But I think there’s more to it.” Strange paused and looked at everyone expectantly, reminding Sam of a professor waiting for one of his students to answer a difficult question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam crossed his arms over his chest. “Stop with the dramatics and just tell us, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strange dismissed Sam’s impatience with a wave of his hand, conjuring an orange circular diagram of what appeared to be the Soul Stone. The group eagerly studied the graphic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps we’re not just in a Soul Stone-based reality,” Strange said, expanding the diagram of the Soul Stone with his hands so that it blanketed the group like a dome. “What if we’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>inside</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Soul Stone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost as soon as Strange finished stating his theory, the sound of splashing attracted the group’s attention. Instinctively, everybody moved into their battle stances, prepared for any kind of attack after what they had experienced in Wakanda and on Titan, which felt like only minutes ago at this point. But when three figures burst through the thick mist, everyone relaxed when they realized it was no threat at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just a human-looking guy named Peter Quill, an alien man with odd body markings called Drax, and a humanoid tree that could kick a surprising amount of ass named Groot. The three of them had woken up here along with the rest of the group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prior to Wanda waking up, Strange had sent the three members of the so-called Guardians of the Galaxy to inspect the landscape and try to find anything other than the watery surface. Sam wasn’t expecting them to come back with good news though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys, you’ve gotta come see this,” Peter Quill said breathlessly, his eyes wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am Groot,” Groot added, nodding in agreement. He and Drax joined Mantis over beside Wanda.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Strange demanded, his tone urgent. “What did you find?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quill’s shoulders sagged in what was hopefully relief as his mouth twisted in a half smile. “People.” </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Now What?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Having just woken up in a foreign environment, our heroes discover more of their new reality inside the Soul Stone and meet some familiar faces.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Peter thought getting bitten by a radioactive spider and becoming Spider-Man was the craziest thing to ever happen to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then he became a stowaway in a spaceship with Iron Man and Doctor Strange and fought an eight foot-tall purple psychopath on an alien planet…where he got dusted away into oblivion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The details were still a bit fuzzy, but according to Doctor Strange, it was all Thanos’s doing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even the mere thought of the mad Titan was enough to send a chill down Peter’s spine. With the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos was currently the most powerful being in the universe. Even the Avengers were unable to stop him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Now what?</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was the question Peter had been asking himself since waking up here, having only been in Mr. Stark’s embrace just before his body literally crumbled to dust in his mentor’s arms. Peter had felt the snap coming before it happened, even before the powerful empath Mantis had detected it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had sensed subtle disturbances in Titan's atmosphere; the bone-chilling drop in temperature made each individual hair on his body stand on end and a metallic tang filled the air that smelled like pure sulfur. Followed by that was a sudden wave of nausea that hit Peter so strongly that he almost doubled over. Even his ears picked up an unidentifiable rumble in the sky, as if the universe itself was stunned by what Thanos had done. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter realized with a start that his spider senses had been trying to warn him of his inevitable death.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now that he was here in this bizarre new world, Peter had some time for his own private observations while he collected his thoughts. Other than the trippy landscape and the obviously very different laws of physics, there were some other alarming things that he couldn’t quite place a finger on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately, everything indicated that something was very off about this place. Peter’s heightened senses were going haywire, like they couldn’t decide if there was danger nearby or not. His senses probably weren't going to prove very useful here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter was hardly ever caught off guard. But because his spider senses were off, he did not anticipate the burst of activity just beyond the cloud of fog that surrounded the group.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quill was right. There were more people here besides them. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>crap ton</span>
  </em>
  <span> of people, some not even human, who were equally as confused and lost as the group of heroes were. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that wasn’t the only thing they found. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell…” Bucky whispered. Everyone stopped in their tracks, stunned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quill?” Doctor Strange inquired after the man known as Star-Lord. “Was all this here when you arrived?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Quill replied, shaking his head. “It wasn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter walked into the crowd of stranded people, trying to understand what he was seeing. The fog was beginning to clear a bit, making it easier to see everything. “It looks...like a town.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A paved road lined with buildings stretched in either direction before them. Each side of the road was decorated with street lights, colorful signs, potted plants and trees, and metal benches. Various shops and businesses occupied the quaint buildings: a library, grocery store, hardware store, boutique, bakery, and even a retro 1950’s-style diner. It almost looked like a normal, American small town if you ignored the mysterious non-wet water covering the street and the misty orange complexion that shrouded everything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t like this,” Sam muttered, noticeably uneasy. He shifted Wanda’s weight in his arms, having offered to carry her earlier as she continued to sleep. “It’s too…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Normal,” T’Challa finished for him. The king was watching a group of lost-looking children wandering aimlessly down the street with deep concern. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like Thanos made accommodations for us,” said Bucky, frowning. “For all we know, he banished us to hell and this is it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does this </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> you speak of have these furry creatures?” asked Mantis innocently, reaching down to pet, of all things, a brown tabby cat that had wandered up to her. It was odd watching the feline traipse through the water unbothered, its fur remaining completely dry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Guess animals weren’t an exception to Thanos’s purging of half the universe</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Peter thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What an asshole.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sad thing was that his assumption was correct. Scattered among the clusters of people were lost domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, barnyard animals, and even a handful of horses. Peter wouldn’t be surprised if snakes and other wild creatures were roaming around somewhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the worst part wasn’t the helpless animals or the sounds of distressed people calling out to their loved ones. It was the crying children desperately asking for their mothers and fathers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter couldn’t stop his eyes from tearing up at the sight of a sympathetic woman scooping up a screaming toddler with no guardian. “This is awful,” he whispered, wiping his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They are frightened,” Mantis stated, clearly disturbed by the suffering around them. The tabby cat continued to circle her, meowing. “I have never seen so much misery in one place.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“These people need our help,” T’Challa said, the king in him naturally determined to help those in need. “They do not know what has happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think we can help with that, Your Highness,” replied a strangely familiar voice outside the group. Footsteps approached and Peter nearly choked on his own spit when he recognized the unmistakable man with an eyepatch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Director Fury,” Sam greeted, shaking hands with the well-respected S.H.I.E.L.D leader before turning towards the two brunette and blonde women that accompanied him. “Agent Hill, Agent Carter, it’s nice seeing you two again."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that Wanda Maximoff?” Nick Fury questioned, gesturing at the unconscious girl in Sam’s arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a long story,” Bucky told him. Fury raised his eyebrows at Bucky, something akin to amusement twinkling in his one good eye. Peter assumed the look had something to do with Bucky’s past as the Winter Soldier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam regarded the three S.H.I.E.L.D agents again and said, “I would say it’s a relief to see you all, but considering the circumstances…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We know, Mr. Wilson,” the brunette woman interjected, who Peter recognized as S.H.I.E.L.D agent Maria Hill. “The green woman told us everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold up,” Quill said, frantically pushing through the group to reach Maria. His eyes were wide and hopeful. “Did you say </span>
  <em>
    <span>green woman?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maria crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah, why?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We might know her,” Drax said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did she give her name?” Quill asked hastily, grabbing Maria’s shoulders. “Was it Gamora?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quill, calm down,” Sam warned, gently pushing the other man away before Fury could intervene. “Now, what is this about a green woman? Who is she?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You're right,” the blonde woman named Agent Carter told Quill. “She said her name was Gamora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quill was speechless for a moment before letting out a choked laugh of relief, running a hand through his hair. “Oh my God. I...Where is she? Is she okay? I need to see her!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gamora is his girlfriend, right?” Peter whispered to Doctor Strange, needing clarification from the guy who basically knew everything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Strange nodded. “Right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s also Thanos’s daughter, the one he killed?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then how is she…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Strange held up a finger, interrupting Peter’s endless stream of questions. “Mr. Parker, I’m sure all will be revealed when we see her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter immediately clamped his mouth shut. Though he wasn’t sure if it was because he was somewhat afraid of the sorcerer or if he had somehow cast some sort of spell on Peter to make him be quiet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fury cleared his throat. “This </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gamora</span>
  </em>
  <span> is in the church down the street waiting for us,” he explained, pointing behind him at a large building in the distance with a long spire peaking above the fog. “She told us to come find you so she could explain everything. How she knew you would all be here, I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell us anything else until we found you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the stubborn Gamora I know,” Quill said wistfully. Then he set off towards the church without waiting for more instructions from Fury, followed by an excited Drax, Groot, and Mantis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Director, we should probably split into separate groups,” Maria Hill suggested. “One goes to the church to gather intel from Gamora. The other needs to scope this place out, see what’s here, and make sure there’s nothing potentially dangerous.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fury nodded. “I agree, Agent Hill. That’s probably the wisest move.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But what about the people here, Director?” T’Challa asked. “And the children?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve thought about that, Your Highness,” said Fury. “Once we figure out what’s going on, then we can inform everybody else. Someone needs to establish order to prevent full-blown chaos, and that needs to be us. We could really use your help in the leadership department, King T’Challa.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T’Challa appeared flattered for a moment before nodding. “I will do everything I can, Director Fury.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fury reciprocated a nod and proceeded to give out orders. “In that case, Your Highness, I’ll need you, Agent Hill, and Strange to come with me to the church. Agent Carter, you’ll lead the search through the town with Wilson, Barnes, and Parker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Agent Carter gave Fury a salute. “Yes, Director.” Then she turned to Sam and added, “I’m sure there’s someplace nearby where we can take Miss Maximoff if you need to put her down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam gave Agent Carter a grateful smile. “Thanks, Sharon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, the group dispersed into two separate parties, one headed in the direction of the church while the other made its way further into the town. From this vantage point, Peter was able to gather an estimate of just how many people were here. There had to be, at the least, two hundred civilians including the children. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there was no way of knowing that for sure. For all they knew, this was just the first batch of people who were lucky enough to find this town. There was a chance of more people showing up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think this is everybody?” Peter asked his companions, his curiosity winning over the awkwardness he felt over being alone with Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, and an intimidating S.H.I.E.L.D. agent he’s never met before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not sure, kid,” Sam replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It can’t be,” Bucky argued. “Only a couple hundred or so people here? What about the rest of the half of the universe Thanos wiped out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe this isn’t the only town of people affected by the snap,” Peter said. “Maybe there’s millions more.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam gave Peter a confused look. “The snap?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter flushed, embarrassed. “Yeah, um, that’s what Mr. Barnes said Thanos did when he used the stones. That he snapped his fingers and </span>
  <em>
    <span>poof</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Half the universe gone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three adults exchanged looks before Bucky grinned and said, “You gotta admit, it has a catchy ring to it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter beamed. “You think so? It just kind of came to me and I thought—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sharon came to an abrupt stop in front of them, causing the men to halt. “While I’m all for bantering to lighten the mood, can we focus on the task at hand here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam smirked at her. “Come on. The Sharon Carter I know isn’t such a stickler for the rules. Remember Germany?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter perked up at the mention of Germany and turned to Sharon. “Wait, you were there too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sharon’s eyes widened. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Sam</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That’s confidential.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s okay!” Peter assured her, pointing to the spider emblem on his chest. “I was there too! I’m Spider-Man!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I remember,” Sharon said, scanning Peter’s suit with recognition. “To this day, I still don’t understand why Stark recruited a fifteen year old to fight in a civil war between the Avengers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter’s ears reddened. “It worked out in the end, didn’t it? Plus, I’m an Avenger now. Mr. Stark said so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam rolled his eyes. “Of course he did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter ignored him. “Anyway, Agent Carter, why were </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> in Germany?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was in the CIA,” Sharon answered quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And she helped me, Sam, and Steve escape police custody,” Bucky added, laughing when Sharon groaned in annoyance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Barnes!</span>
  </em>
  <span> You weren’t supposed to tell him that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? That’s totally badass!” Peter said, laughing. “I don’t even care if I wasn’t on Cap’s side back then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright guys, let’s listen to Agent Carter,” Sam reminded them, giving Sharon a teasing look that made her glare at him. “As she said, <em>f</em></span>
  <em>
    <span>ocus on the task at hand.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Sam and Sharon took the lead, bickering as they battled for control over the mission, Peter lingered behind with Bucky. The two of them watched the pair with amusement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it just me or are they kind of flirting?” Peter whispered to the former Winter Soldier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky chuckled. “Sam flirts with everybody.” Then he muttered under his breath, “But I think it’s safe to say Sharon is over Steve.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, over </span>
  <em>
    <span>who?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you guys are enjoying this story! Who are some characters you hope will interact together? Also, I'm on tumblr (same as my username on here) if anyone wants to chat! I hope you all are doing well and staying safe!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Establishing Order</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our heroes must figure out how to bring order to a place with no rules, while Peter reunites with two of those closest to him.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When a couple hundred or so people were stranded in an empty town in the middle of nowhere, one would assume there would be chaos.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, it didn’t take long for Stephen and his group to find the aforementioned chaos.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Outside the small church where they were meant to meet Gamora was a mob of people banging on the church’s double doors, shoving one another and demanding to be let inside. Judging by the rising volume of the agitated crowd and the use of force against one another, the situation was quickly escalating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> no,” Nick Fury said, assessing the conflict before him with an annoyed grimace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are they trying to get into the church?” T’Challa wondered aloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen surveyed some of the people in the crowd and drew a quick conclusion. “Well for starters, they’re religious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T’Challa turned and regarded Stephen with curiosity. “How do you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look,” Maria Hill answered for Stephen, gesturing at the crowd with a nod of her head. “The women wearing crucifixes around their necks. The group of men on their knees praying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen nodded. “Right. In dire situations, it’s natural for people to seek safety and comfort, such as a church.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, they can have the church back after we hear what this </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gamora</span>
  </em>
  <span> woman has to say,” said Fury. He patted his coat pockets and sighed, turning to Maria. “Agent Hill, you wouldn’t happen to have your gun on you, would you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen heard T’Challa let out a choked noise of outrage that was quite uncharacteristic for a composed king. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Director Fury</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you are not suggesting-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to fire into the sky to get everyone’s attention,” Fury reassured T’Challa, then muttered to himself, “Or use it if things get out of hand...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T’Challa shook his head incredulously. “Americans and their guns,” he whispered under his breath, though the only one who heard him was Stephen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would be a negative, sir,” Maria responded to Fury’s question. “I checked when we arrived. I guess our weapons didn’t make the trip here with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” Fury said, clicking his tongue. “Looks like we’re doing this the hard way.” Then, in true Nick Fury fashion, he proceeded to march fearlessly into the mob of people, Maria following closely behind for backup, breaking up a fight or two on the way while shouting over everyone. “HEY! Everyone back away from the church! Get BACK!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad he doesn’t have a gun,” Stephen remarked, cringing as he imagined the havoc a firearm would bring to an already terrible situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, things escalated when an angry man shoved Fury away from him, which knocked Maria hard against the church doors. Before Stephen could react, T’Challa had already stormed into the mob to intervene. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> T’Challa’s voice boomed into the crowd, though he received attention from only half of them. He tried again, “HEY!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Acting quickly, Stephen used his trusted Cloak of Levitation to float above the crowd, placing two fingers in his mouth to produce an ear-piercing whistle. The angry crowd gradually silenced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he mentally praised his cloak. In return, the garment gave him a discreet pat on the back of the head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen and T’Challa’s gazes met across the crowd, the king silently thanking the doctor for his assistance with a nod that reassured him he could handle it from there. Stephen took this as his cue to land back on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>T’Challa stepped back to allow Fury to take the lead again, but the S.H.I.E.L.D director shook his head. “I think they would rather hear from you, Your Majesty.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hesitant for a moment, T’Challa accepted his task with a respectful nod. Stephen watched, impressed, as the king used his skills as a persuasive orator to convince the crowd to step away from the church in a calm and civil manner, gathering them all in a circle away from the building. While T’Challa placated the crowd, attempting to comfort everyone and answer their questions, Stephen, Fury, and Maria used this opportunity to sneak into the church.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen easily unlocked the doors with a quick spell and the three of them slipped inside without the crowd noticing. Almost immediately, he was taken aback by the ominous silence of the church’s sanctuary, which he was expecting to be filled with a lot more people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only a few were seated in the pews at the front of the church while some stood by the altar, abruptly ending their conversations as soon as the doors opened. For a minute nobody spoke or made a move to greet one another. Stephen only recognized the Guardians out of everyone, but that didn’t make the tense encounter any more comforting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry for the delay, everyone,” Fury said, breaking the strained silence. His voice echoed through the church as he led Stephen and Maria down the aisle of pews to join the others. “We had a small...</span>
  <em>
    <span>altercation</span>
  </em>
  <span> to deal with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean the angry mob of people outside?” an older man with white hair and glasses remarked from one of the pews. He looked vaguely familiar, sitting between an older woman with long white hair and a younger woman greatly resembling her with dark hair. The three of them appeared related. “I’m surprised they didn’t bust down the doors in the time it took you to get here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The older woman elbowed the man harshly, making him grunt. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hank</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Don’t be rude.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fury smirked, nodding towards the man as one would regard a fellow colleague. “Always good to hear your input, Dr. Pym. And it’s good to see you as well, Dr. Van Dyne. Hope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen knew the family looked familiar. Dr. Hank Pym and Dr. Janet Van Dyne, the former Ant-Man and the Wasp. Their daughter was the current Wasp, Hope Van Dyne. An intelligent family such as themselves, who regularly dealt with quantum physics, could potentially prove useful in figuring out how they all got here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen quickly noticed the current Ant-Man was not with them. Scott Lang must have survived Thanos’s purging of half the universe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sitting in the pew behind Dr. Pym and his family were two brunette women whom Stephen initially did not recognize at first glance...until he did a double take and raised a brow. He briefly locked eyes with Dr. Jane Foster, one of the world’s leading astrophysicists and astronomers who had found Thor in New Mexico when he first fell to Earth. To his mortification, the last time Stephen saw Dr. Foster was at a banquet in 2014 hosted by the Nobel Prize Committee, where he had mistakenly hit on her without knowing who she was, a renowned scientist who was being considered for the Nobel Prize in astrophysics. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He figured the woman seated next to Dr. Foster was her intern Darcy Lewis, who had accompanied her to the event. Thanks to his superb memory, Stephen vividly remembered the amusing intern stuffing breadsticks in her handbag, which was the only thing that had mildly entertained him at that boring banquet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no sign of any of the main six Avengers, but of course Stephen already knew this. Among the 14,000,605 outcomes he saw, the original Avengers almost always survived Thanos’s cleansing of the universe while most of their allies—including everyone in this church—perished. Where exactly the deceased went from there, Stephen still did not know. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without the Time Stone in his possession, he could no longer see the new outcomes of people’s actions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen decided to follow Fury and Maria and sit with them on the front row. Behind them was a young girl wearing some kind of battle armor with white tribal markings dotting her face. She made no expression when Stephen offered her an amicable smile, but instead stared into space at nothing, looking utterly lost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think that’s Princess Shuri of Wakanda,” Maria whispered to Fury. The S.H.I.E.L.D director merely raised his eyebrows in understanding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if on cue, the church doors swung open again and everyone in the sanctuary turned at the disturbance. Stephen heard Shuri let out a small gasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Brother!” the princess exclaimed and took off running toward T’Challa, who stood frozen in the entryway of the church.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank the gods. Shuri…” T’Challa said breathily, as if he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. He caught Shuri when she jumped into his arms, the siblings laughing and crying together with relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen’s heart warmed at the sight. At least some good came out of this mess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So...what do we do now?” Hope Van Dyne asked once T’Challa and Shuri took their seats next to each other, voicing what everyone in the room was currently thinking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you said Gamora was here,” Peter Quill said, leaning against the podium at the altar. He straightened and pointed an accusing finger at Fury. “Where is she?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fury shrugged. “Hell if I know. Like I said before, she kept it pretty brief and wouldn’t say anything else until we found everyone sitting in this room and brought you here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kept </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> brief?” Stephen asked. “What exactly did she tell you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Something about a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Soul World</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Maria replied, shaking her head when Stephen started to question her further. “She didn’t elaborate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen rolled his eyes. “Of course she didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about Agent Carter, Barnes, Wilson, Maximoff, and Parker?” T’Challa added. “Shouldn’t they be here too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can inform them of what’s going on later,” said an unfamiliar voice off to the side. A slim figure was partially hidden in a doorway that led into what looked like an office. “I’m afraid we can’t wait any longer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figure emerged from the darkness, revealing her stark green skin and black and pink hair. The Guardians reacted strongly to the sight of her; Drax’s eyes widened, Mantis gasped, and Groot released a series of happy noises.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter Quill was understandably the most affected, and rightly so. He sat down heavily on the stage, blinking rapidly as if trying to wake up from a dream. The beautiful green woman greeted the Guardians with a gentle smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gamora?” Quill whispered, standing and approaching her with caution, like he was afraid of frightening her away. Tears glistened in his eyes. “Is that really you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gamora gave Quill a sympathetic look as he reached for her. “Peter…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am Groot!” Groot said excitedly, trotting up to Gamora and wrapping his twig-like arms around her. As he did this, the unthinkable happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Groot’s arms passed right through Gamora’s body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a brief second Gamora converted to a ghost-like form before her body materialized again. The Guardians staggered away from her in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stephen raised an eyebrow. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve seen weirder,” Fury muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gamora, what…?” Quill tried to say. “How...?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why aren’t we ghosts too?” Drax asked, not so helpfully. This prompted Mantis to poke her own arm, testing to make sure her hand didn’t pass through herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can explain everything,” Gamora replied, addressing not just the Guardians but everybody else in the room. “But before I do, you should know that I’m not...</span>
  <em>
    <span>entirely</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gamora.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“You know, you don’t have to walk around like a wanted fugitive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam’s remark brought Bucky’s attention away from the group of looters smashing their way into a small convenience store across the street. It really shouldn’t have come as a surprise. There were always going to be a handful of idiots who lost their common sense during a crisis. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Steve would’ve intervened without thinking about it,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Bucky thought, smiling at his inside joke before immediately recomposing himself. Because of his many decades as the Winter Soldier, he was still getting used to being able to freely exhibit his emotions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, force of habit,” Bucky replied, earning a light chuckle from Sam. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was surreal walking around without his head down, hidden underneath a hood or a baseball cap. No one spared him a second glance despite the fact that his gleaming metal arm was on full display. Everyone was too busy wandering aimlessly through the town, lost in their own panic and confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky and Sam stood outside a building labeled “community center” waiting for Sharon, who was assessing the situation inside. They had decided to bring Wanda there to recuperate when they found Laura Barton—</span>
  <em>
    <span>apparently Clint Barton had a wife and children?</span>
  </em>
  <span>—and a handful of other volunteers, all of which had taken the liberty of gathering as many lost children they could find throughout town for a temporary place to stay while they awaited further instructions. Sharon had offered to assist Laura with the overwhelming task of handling that many children while Bucky, Sam, and Peter continued to patrol the street. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing hazardous about the landscape jumped out at them, which was a relief. The town seemed relatively safe and habitable, ready for people to occupy it. Considering the circumstances, Bucky wondered if the town was already here or just magically appeared when the people arrived. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Either way, it was unsettling. Bucky didn’t trust it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Along the way, the only signs of trouble were the vandals and thieves taking advantage of a place with no established rules. The trio thwarted as many crooks as they could while trying to avoid physical altercations to create less problems. In the end, Bucky still had to tackle a man for trying to rob an old woman, Sam chased down a pair of thieves who managed to steal weapons from a hardware store, and Peter resorted to using his webs to tie the offenders to benches and lampposts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this point, it was nearly impossible to stop </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> from acting like they forgot how to be law-abiding citizens just because they were no longer on Earth. The limited number of police officers and other good samaritans trying to stop those from looting and hurting people weren’t enough to contain the chaos, even with the help of trained heroes who fought alongside the Avengers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This place needed </span>
  <em>
    <span>order</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If the others don’t figure out a plan soon, there might not be a town left,” Sam said, eyeing a group of civilians down the street that were attempting to put out a fire with buckets of water.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky nodded in agreement. “We can’t get everything under control by ourselves. We’ll need all the help we can get.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This feels like the apocalypse,” Peter added, pacing anxiously in front of Bucky and Sam. The poor kid hadn’t been able to stand still for the last ten minutes since Sharon had left them outside to wait for her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky felt a twinge of pity for the young man. Peter couldn’t have been older than sixteen or seventeen years old. No one that young should ever have to go through something </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> traumatic, whether they’re super-powered or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky cautiously placed a reassuring hand on Peter’s shoulder, making the boy jump slightly. “Look, I'm not gonna lie. I know things aren’t looking great right now. But when we figure this out, it’s gonna be okay, kid. We’re gonna be alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter released a shaky breath and relaxed, smiling gratefully. “Thanks, Mr. Barnes.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please. Call me Bucky.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“By the way, I still think your metal arm is awesome.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky cringed at the memory of their first encounter, flexing the fingers of his metal arm. “Thanks. Oh, and sorry for almost punching you in Germany. I didn’t know Stark brought a kid to the fight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter waved a hand, brushing it off as if nearly being pummeled to death by Bucky’s metal arm was the least dangerous thing to happen to him. “Are you kidding me? That was nothing. After I kicked yours and Mr. Wilson’s asses, I fought Captain America and he almost dropped a plane on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sam’s head snapped in Peter’s direction. “Steve did </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saving Peter from an explanation, the door to the community center banged open, the collective voices of dozens of children crescendoing from within. Sharon exited the building with a sigh of relief, rejoining the group. Bucky would definitely have to ask Peter about his experience in Germany later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Laura Barton is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>saint</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Sharon said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Almost as soon as she got here, she started helping as many stranded kids as she could find. It’s a good start, but she needs a lot more volunteers. We should probably head to the church to inform Director Fury.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of glass shattering in the distance made Sam wince and reply, “Let’s hope he and the others know what to do. There’s not much else the four of us can do out here. It’s getting out of control and soon enough, people are gonna get hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky felt his apprehension growing by the minute. The last thing they needed was their situation to worsen more than it already had. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t get to that point.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the group started to follow Sharon in the direction of the church, they immediately stopped in their tracks when they heard a voice yell, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Peter!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky watched Peter’s body tense as he spun around and searched for whoever called his name, the confusion on his face slowly morphing into recognition, then pure elation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that…?” Peter muttered to himself, then laughed and exclaimed, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ned! MJ!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A pair of teenagers--Ned and MJ, presumably--who were clearly close to Peter in familiarity as well as age broke into a sprint at the same time as Peter, the three of them meeting and embracing in the middle of the street. Bucky couldn’t resist smiling at the joyous reunion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so glad you guys are okay,” Peter said, clapping Ned on the shoulder and awkwardly patting MJ on the arm. Bucky tried not to laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You too, man!” Ned replied. “I didn’t know what to think after you jumped off the bus to go fight those aliens with Iron Man. We saw you on the news hanging off a spaceship!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit,” MJ said as she scanned Peter’s suit in astonishment. “I was right. You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> Spider-Man. I knew it!”</span>
</p>
<p>"What? How did you know?" Peter asked nervously, his voice raising an octave.</p>
<p>MJ shrugged. "Wasn't that hard to figure out. I've known since the D.C. trip. You aren't that great at hiding it." Then her eyes widened. "Not that I've been watching you or anything like that. Because that would be weird."</p>
<p>"Plus, you're walking around in the Spider-Man suit without your mask," Ned added.</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter failed to hide his blush. “Guess my secret identity doesn’t matter anymore.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter then excitedly introduced his friends to Bucky, Sam, and Sharon, who each decided it couldn’t hurt for two new additions to tag along with them. Sam gladly welcomed the newcomers, who were eager to know everything about his work with the Avengers. Bucky didn’t know how to respond when they started asking him questions about his past.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you a communist?” MJ inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you really almost kill Peter with your metal arm?” Ned asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but I totally blocked his punch,” Peter replied, puffing his chest proudly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn, that’s awesome!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky sighed deeply. It was going to be a long walk to the church.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to those who have left a comment or kudos on this story. Your support is much appreciated!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Best Kind of Prison</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wanda has an interesting first meeting with Stephen Strange, who proposes a deal for her. Meanwhile, as time passes our heroes grow accustomed to their new reality.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Gamora first arrived in the Soul World shortly after Thanos sacrificed her for the stone, she knew more souls soon would follow in her wake.</p>
<p>At that point, Thanos had already won. It wouldn’t take long for him to retrieve the remaining stones. His plan would come to pass.</p>
<p>It was no secret the Soul Stone behaved differently than the other Infinity Stones. Gamora had heard tales of the stone being <em> alive, </em>perhaps even sentient, and now she knew why. </p>
<p>Because she was the stone’s sacrifice, Gamora had become the embodiment of it. The stone required a host, a paragon for its power. She was an omniscient presence, existing throughout the stone’s endless continuity. Their spirits were now intertwined. Gamora could feel the stone’s essence deep within her, its sheer force, its <em>hunger </em>. </p>
<p><em> So much </em>hunger, and for what?</p>
<p><em> For souls, </em>the stone seemed to respond.</p>
<p>The Soul Stone had only a mere taste and now it wanted more. So, it began to prepare.</p>
<p>All the lost souls Thanos would erase from existence needed a place to go. One simply couldn’t vanquish matter and energy into nothingness. And so with the mystical powers of the Soul Stone, a reality was created.</p>
<p>The Soul World.</p>
<p>Gamora didn’t question the eerie environment, the ominous orange horizon, the mysterious water that didn’t behave like water. If these things were there, they undoubtedly served a purpose and that was all that mattered. </p>
<p>Millions upon millions of civilizations began to form on their own accord, buildings and trees sprouting from nothing. Aided by the stone, Gamora provided everything a person may need: a home, food, drinkable water, plentiful resources. Supplies would never run out, no one would starve, and death was impossible. Everyone could have whatever material items they wanted within reason. Gamora could even alter the sky to appear more natural, complete with weather patterns such as rain or snow to make the place feel incredibly real.</p>
<p>It was the perfect reality.</p>
<p>If the Soul Stone was anything, it was accommodating.</p>
<p>The only downside to this world was the nonexistence of time. How time passed was among the infinitudes of mysteries the Soul Stone had to offer.</p>
<p>There were only two rules the stone cared about: do not harm others and do not try to escape. The rest was up to those living here.</p>
<p>Gamora explained everything the best she could to the heroes, the ones who would be able to bring order to this place. They were capable of calming the masses, creating organization, and assembling a livable community. The Soul Stone was sure of this.</p>
<p>Of course, there was an uproar of protest from the heroes when they heard this living arrangement would be permanent for the time being. Gamora expected this. Naturally, no one wanted to feel trapped, especially in a reality so different from their own.</p>
<p>Gamora assured everyone this was for the best, that perhaps this was only temporary depending on whether Thanos’s terrible act could be reversed. But for now, this was their new lives. </p>
<p>After all, where would they all be without the merciful Soul Stone?</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Wanda regained consciousness and tried opening her eyes, she immediately winced at the room’s harsh lighting, turning her head to avoid the blinding fluorescents overhead.</p>
<p>The last thing she remembered was a blur of scarlet as her powers eclipsed her control, threatening to demolish everything in her path. Her grief for Vision struck her again so suddenly that she struggled to breathe. </p>
<p><em> Oh god, </em>Wanda wondered, <em>What if I hurt someone again? </em></p>
<p>Her hands gripped the scratchy fabric of the couch she was spread out on, the leather of her fingerless gloves straining against her palms. She craned her neck to observe the small room--an office of some sort, Wanda guessed--and nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of Doctor Strange lounging on a chair across from her, one leg propped on his knee as he silently regarded her with contemplation. </p>
<p>Wanda glared at him, automatically distrusting the man.</p>
<p>Strange gave her a little wave and smirked. “Hello, Ms. Maximoff. I started to worry for a moment you wouldn’t wake up.”</p>
<p>Wanda struggled to sit up, the tight corset of her costume preventing her from bending too much at the waist. “Have I been drugged?”</p>
<p>“In a way,” Strange replied, shrugging.</p>
<p>Wanda remembered now. The alien woman named Mantis. “Ah, yes. The empath.” She paused and narrowed her eyes at Strange. “Where am I? How long have you been watching me sleep?”</p>
<p>Strange didn’t answer either question, much to Wanda’s annoyance. Instead, he reclined back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You know, I’ve known our paths would cross for a while now, but I didn’t foresee it being under these circumstances.”</p>
<p>“What the hell are you talking about?” Wanda demanded. She recalled the odd orange shapes Strange had traced in the air with his hands in the midst of her breakdown. She had known from reading him that he possessed magic. “What are you?”</p>
<p>“Sorry, I probably should have introduced myself first.” Strange leaned forward and held out a hand in greeting. “I’m Doctor Stephen Strange.”</p>
<p>Wanda doesn’t accept his hand. “I already know <em> who </em> you are, Doctor. I asked <em> what </em> you are. I can sense you have...abnormal abilities.”</p>
<p>Strange grinned. “Magic, you mean? I mean, that’s not really how I would explain it, but essentially, yes, I’m a master of the mystic arts. The same could be said for you, Ms. Maximoff.”</p>
<p>Wanda scowled, twisting her hands in the air and conjuring wisps of red energy. She smiled softly as she watched her powers dance across her fingertips. “That’s not really how I would explain it,” she told Strange, repeating his words.</p>
<p>“So how does it work?” Strange asked, nodding at her glowing hands. “<em>That.</em>”</p>
<p>Wanda suddenly felt self-conscious and hid her hands underneath her thighs. “I’m not sure, exactly. All I know is mine and my brother’s powers came from Loki’s scepter, which contained the Mind Stone. My magic...it feels like this violent, <em>angry </em>force that can barely be contained.” She lifts her hands again to demonstrate how the red energy is visible beneath her pale skin, quite literally flowing through her veins.</p>
<p>Strange studied her hand movements as if she were a specimen to be examined. “If I had to guess, your abilities seem to be tied to your emotions.”</p>
<p>“How can you know that?” Wanda asked, growing defensive. “You’ve only just met me.”</p>
<p>“Well, judging by your little meltdown earlier-”</p>
<p>Wanda barked out an incredulous laugh. “<em>Meltdown? </em> That wasn’t-”</p>
<p>Strange held up a hand to interrupt her. “Please, forgive my poor choice of words. What I meant was, you were in clear emotional distress because of what happened in Wakanda, and as a result, your powers became uncontrollable. Now do you see the problem?”</p>
<p>Wanda avoided Strange’s gaze, growing irritated by his scrutiny. Who did this man think he was? He had <em> no </em> right to analyze her like this. “There <em>isn’t </em> a problem. I can manage my own powers.”</p>
<p>“Clearly, you can’t,” Strange countered. “You could’ve easily hurt someone or even yourself. Your friends are worried about you and we all agreed that you need to learn to control your powers. That’s where I come in, if you’ll allow it. I’ve never seen magic like yours before and I want to help you harness it as a tool and not just a weapon.”</p>
<p>Wanda only half-listened to him. So, her friends had been discussing her behind her back. She could only imagine the unpleasant things they said about her, about how dangerous and unstable she was.</p>
<p>They were right.</p>
<p>After a moment of reflection, unconsciously rubbing the soft red leather of her trench coat between her fingers, Wanda released a shaky breath. “Let’s say you can help me,” she began, piquing Strange’s interest. “Which I know you’re more than capable of, <em> Master of the Mystic Arts. </em> You want to help me because you and my friends think I’m dangerous. But what’s in it for you?”</p>
<p>Strange raised an inquisitive brow. “Why do you assume I have an ulterior motive other than helping someone who’s inexperienced and afraid of her own powers?”</p>
<p>“You don’t know me,” Wanda snapped, aghast by his directness. </p>
<p>“Well, we’ll have plenty of time to become acquainted. None of us have any idea how long we’re going to be stuck in this...<em>Soul World. </em> In the meantime, I need something to occupy myself other than trying to find a way out of here or I’ll go insane. I figured I’d do some good.”</p>
<p>Wanda scoffed. “I’m not going to be your personal <em> science experiment </em> for you to make sense of in your spare time.”</p>
<p>“Wanda,<em> listen, </em>” Strange pleaded, losing his patience. “Why don’t I help you learn to control your powers, and in return you teach me about your form of magic? As a sorcerer, I have to admit I’m intrigued. So, do we have a deal? Will you let me help you?”</p>
<p>Wanda contemplated her options for a minute, secretly enjoying watching Strange fidget restlessly in his seat. On one hand, Strange obviously understood magic much more in depth than she did. He was older and a hell of a lot wiser. Wanda thought of how nice it would be to use her powers with confidence, to truly understand the extent of her abilities, without fearing her emotions would cloud her judgement and cause her magic to lash out. </p>
<p>On the other hand, Wanda would have to grow accustomed to Stephen Strange’s company. She never liked being told what to do, especially by arrogant men with a superiority complex.</p>
<p>With reluctance, Wanda leaned forward and extended her hand, exchanging a firm handshake with the sorcerer. “We have ourselves a deal, Mr. Strange.”</p>
<p>“Excellent.” As Strange stood from his chair, he added, “Oh, and it’s <em>Doctor </em> Strange.”</p>
<p>Wanda rolled her eyes. “You know, just because you said that, I’m going to call you anything <em> but </em>Doctor Strange.”</p>
<p>For the first time during their conversation, Strange’s smile was genuine and not laced with undercurrents of sarcasm or guilt. Wanda recognized a profound sadness in the doctor’s tired eyes that mirrored her own. The lines framing his eyes and mouth made it seem as though he had aged ten years in a single day, the dark circles underneath his eyes prominent against his pallid skin. </p>
<p>In that moment, Wanda’s opinion of Strange changed. Maybe the two of them weren’t so different.</p>
<p>As Strange dismissed himself and turned to leave, Wanda stopped him when she asked, “Hey, what did you mean when you said we were stuck in a <em>Soul World?” </em></p>
<p>Strange inhaled deeply through his nose and moved to sit back down in front of Wanda again. He rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. “Ah, I knew I was forgetting something. I should explain…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The process took time--how much time, no one really knew--but the heroes grew to accept their fate and brought order to this new society. The last thing they wanted to do was fight an all-powerful Infinity Stone that very few in the universe understood. </p>
<p>One of the first things the heroes did was devise a temporary plan of action, which was dealing with the scared civilians. Sitting around trying to process everything Gamora told them wasn’t doing anyone any good. T’Challa and Nick Fury were immediately nominated to be in charge, and together they were able to explain what was happening to the people and succeeded in establishing some semblance of peace. </p>
<p>Eventually Shuri and Maria Hill helped take a census of the population in order to properly assign housing and jobs based on skill. The heroes moved into the same apartment building, opting to leave the houses on the outskirts of town for the civilians. The Guardians roomed together, as well as Peter and Ned, Jane and Darcy, Sharon and Maria, Dr. Pym’s family, and the Barton’s. Shuri invited MJ to stay with her and T’Challa and Sam and Bucky persuaded Wanda to move in with them. Nick Fury and Strange were the only ones who insisted on living alone.</p>
<p>The heroes formed a makeshift council to handle important tasks in the town. They also organized a police force with civilians who were actual police officers in the other world. A ticket system created by T’Challa and Shuri ensured everyone got the food they needed depending on the amount of people in a household and prevented stealing and raiding from the grocery store. Maria Hill, Sharon Carter, and Laura Barton helped establish a foster home for all the displaced children in the town. </p>
<p>A greenhouse and community garden were set up, where Bucky volunteered to help a group of farmers manage the livestock and crops, claiming he wanted a simple job where he could lay low. Scientists banded together in the clinic to research more about the Soul Stone, study this reality’s mind boggling physics and geography, and hypothesize ways to potentially escape the Soul World. This team included T’Challa, Shuri, Peter Parker, Jane Foster, Hope Van Dyne, Janet Van Dyne, and Hank Pym. </p>
<p>The community center was run by Laura Barton, Darcy Lewis, and Peter Quill. Darcy and Quill were great at coming up with activities for the community that made everything feel somewhat normal. Janet Van Dyne and Jane Foster helped teachers organize a school for the children, complete with a cafeteria and playground. The children loved playing with Drax and Groot. </p>
<p>Sam helped with the police force along with Sharon and Maria, led workout classes at the gym, and offered grief meetings for those troubled over the snap. At one point he presided over an exploration group in an attempt to survey more of the landscape, but they never made it far before they were mysteriously steered straight back to town. No one tried to leave again.</p>
<p>Strange primarily kept to himself, conducting his own research of the stone and spells to potentially breach this reality. It was rare someone came across him when he wasn’t lost in a book or meditating. He could usually be found either at the town library, shut away in his apartment across the hall from Sam, Bucky, and Wanda, or volunteering at the clinic, which was short of doctors and nurses. Oddly enough, people in this world could still get sick and injured, but healed remarkably fast. Mantis was frequently sought out at the clinic for her gifts to alleviate people’s depression and fear, as well as to help with cases of insomnia.</p>
<p>As for Wanda, she remained locked in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Sam and Bucky, both of whom wanted to keep an eye on her. For a while, she ignored Strange’s requests to begin training with her magic. The only people other than her aforementioned friends she would see were Laura Barton and Mantis, only because she enjoyed Laura’s motherly presence and Mantis’s calming abilities. The empath was the only person able to keep Wanda’s breakdowns at bay and lull her to sleep. </p>
<p>No one could tell how long they were trapped. Some days felt like years, sometimes minutes. Even Doctor Strange couldn’t decipher how long they had been there, much to his frustration. Without a proper existence of time, frequent skips occurred where people would find themselves in a place and not remember how they got there. </p>
<p>Keeping track of the time was impossible; the Soul Stone wouldn’t allow it. </p>
<p>Despite this, everyone settled into a routine before they realized they were growing comfortable in their new lives. Everything was so <em> easy </em> now. No one died or suffered very long from illness and pain, no one went hungry, and every person had a roof over their head and any worldly possession they wished for. </p>
<p>The Soul World provided for them while the stone’s host Gamora, a mere specter in a sea of living souls, watched over its people like an attentive deity. </p>
<p>Perhaps it was the stone affecting them, creating a sense of normalcy and safety that made many forget they ever wanted to leave in the first place.</p>
<p>It was the best kind of prison any of them could ask for.<br/><br/></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone, sorry this chapter was mostly just a huge information dump haha. Just FYI, since time is kinda wonky in the Soul World, expect frequent time jumps from now on. I tried my best to explain how this reality works without making it totally confusing. Even the characters never really completely understand what's happening but they make the best of it. Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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